Hall of Flame Museum of Firefighting Blog

Senior Docent Gary Bohling Passes Away at 91

Senior Docent Gary Bohling Passes Away at 91

On January 31st, 2026, our beloved senior docent Gary Bohling passed away at the age of 91. Gary will be sorely missed as a great docent and tour guide. In the previous week before his passing, he estimated that he had conducted about a thousand tours in his 24 years with the Hall of Flame.

13 Fire Service Groups You Can Support on Giving Tuesday

13 Fire Service Groups You Can Support on Giving Tuesday

We are honored to have our museum listed by Firehouse.com as 1 of 13 fire service groups to support on Giving Tuesday. Giving Tuesday – the first Tuesday of December – has become a day of generosity and a reminder that the spirit of giving can be just as powerful as any holiday gift.

The Pacific – 1866 Hunneman Hand Drawn Pumper

The Pacific – 1866 Hunneman Hand Drawn Pumper

Why would a fire department in Maine call its fire engine “The Pacific?” “Pacific” is the name on the side of this 1866 Hunneman hand drawn pumper and hose cart from Rockport, Maine, now on exhibit in Gallery One at the Hall of Flame.

Support Storm Recovery at Hall of Flame Museum

Support Storm Recovery at Hall of Flame Museum

On September 26 and October 13, 2025, Phoenix was hit by two huge monsoon rain storms which dropped over 4 inches of rain each time during a period of less than 90 minutes. On both occasions, the Hall of Flame was in the middle of the hardest hit area and suffered significant water and flooding damage to the building, galleries, gift shop and other areas of the museum.

FDNY Rescue Company 4 Rig Survives 9-11

FDNY Rescue Company 4 Rig Survives 9-11

Of the 5 matching rescue trucks, only this rig survived with minimal damage, and it went back into service shortly thereafter serving with the FDNY until 2011. It was ultimately saved from the scrap yard, restored and is now on permanent display here at the museum where it remains as a living memorial to all its occupants selfless acts of courage on that horrible day in U.S. history.